Tightening the borders to save Nigerians

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has unveiled the National Border Management Strategy 2019-2023. The aim is to tighten the borders to enhance national security, writes ROBERT EGBE

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met behind with Service Chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Their meeting coincided with the announcement of the rescue of eight people who were kidnapped on the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highway. They were rescued by troops of Operation Whirl Punch under 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna.

“The troops tracked the kidnappers to where they were hiding in Labi village, Chikun Local Government Area in Kaduna State and rescued the victims at about 5 pm on Wednesday, hours after their abduction.

“The victims who were travelling from Kano to Ilorin had their journey interrupted by bandits, who kidnapped and moved them to one of their fortified hideout in the forest,” a source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that the victims were rescued following credible information.

“The troops swung into action and stormed the bandits’ camp. During the encounter that ensued, the gallant troops overwhelmed the bandits with superior firepower resulting in the bandits abandoning the victims and fled with gunshot wounds.

“The troops immediately released the abductees and asked them to continue with their journey.”

It is the second time in two weeks troops of 1 Division are rescuing kidnapped victims in the state.

Security challenge has been a major headache of the Buhari administration. As a way out of the challenge, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) yesterday unveiled its National Border Strategy.

Comptroller-General of the Service Muhammad Babandede presented the document in Abuja with stakeholders in the sector in attendance.

The project was funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

He said the strategy would also help in contributing to national economic development, reinforcing social harmony and ensuring migrants’ human rights and the protection of vulnerable migrants.

“The NIS National Border Management Strategy (NBMS) 2019 to 2023 articulates a renewed five-year vision and institutional approach to border management in Nigeria. This is within the scope of the Nigeria Immigration Service,” Babandede said.

Babandede explained that when the borders were safe, it would result in a safe nation.

“So the document has addressed the issue of national security, border security and addressed border as a means of trade.

“It will ensure transparency; it will reduce corruption, it will help to ensure that human rights are protected and we will ensure that smugglers and traffickers are not allowed to leave or enter our country.”

House Committee Chairman on Interior Nasir Daura said the house committee would ensure that the NIS was given the necessary support to ensure smooth implementation of the policy.

He said the document would help to provide the requisite protection that could ensure the respect and dignity of human rights.

“As a committee, we will make the Nigeria Immigration Service more effective by providing the necessary budgetary support to better manage the borders.”

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Mrs Zainab Ahmed said that the effective implementation of the strategy depended on dynamic institutional framework and robust political backing.

Mrs Ahmed was represented by a staff of the project office (migration) Mr Ekom Umoren.

She said the surge in transnational crimes, irregular migration, trafficking and other illicit activities would be tackled in line with national development goals as contained in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERPG).

A Federal Commissioner National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Basheer Mohammed was also present at the meeting.

Mohammed, who was represented by Charles Anaelo, said the document was a clear demonstration of Nigeria’s commitment to entrench international best practices in border management through a coordinated approach.

He said effective and efficient border management contributed immensely to overall migration management.

“We have no doubt that implementation will be all-inclusive and coordinated to ensure coherence.”

Ms Ukamaka Osigwe, IOM Nigeria National Programme Officer, said the document was developed through an intensive NIS and inter-agency consultations which spanned from October last year to March 2019.

She said the rationale behind the development of the strategy was to articulate better border management in Nigeria within the scope of the duties of the lead agency for border management which is the NIS.

The Controller, Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS), in Bauchi State, Mr Anthony Gaya, yesterday advised expatriates in the state to ensure that all their documents were genuine and complete to meet the January 2020 deadline for migrants as directed by Federal Government.

Gaya said that the e-registration was aimed at ensuring that the database of all expatriates was captured.

He said the exercise would reduce the threat of global insecurity.

“The objective of the e- registration is to have a comprehensive database of migrants. Expatriates should visit the state command for the e-registration because of biometric.

“The Federal government has given six months amnesty for expatriates to gets their travelling documents.

“Whether you have your document ready or not, all expatriates should come for e- registration and get the documents ready before the deadline.

“Some of the persons that were eligible for the e- registration include individuals that have attained 18 years.

“Those exempted are persons that have diplomatic immunity and had been accredited by the government of the federation,” he said.

The state controller, who noted that foreign investors also contribute to the economic growth of any society, urged them to adhere to the culture and religion of their host communities for peaceful coexistence.

Also to secure the country, the agency is collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), says it is collaborating with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to prevent foreigners from enrolling as Nigerians in the National Identity Scheme.

NIMC Director-General Aliyu Aziz said: “The essence is to prevent foreigners from getting enrolled as well as discover those who have already acquired the National Identification Number (NIN) illegally.”

He said the NIS officials have been helpful, especially in enrolment centres within the border communities across the country.

“You know, the immigration officers are trained to identify who is a foreigner and so far, we are working with them to achieve that.

“Because, the immigration officers can identify foreigners from their names, their profiles and dressing,” he said.

Aziz said foreigners residing in the country are allowed to register, noting, however, that their registration does not cover citizenship.

“But when it comes to obtaining NIN, it is not allowed for a foreigner to enrol as a Nigerian, he or she can be registered as a foreigner, his registration can only identify him as a foreigner residing in Nigeria.

“Like a Cameroonian for example, if he or she comes forward we register him as a Cameroonian and put his nationality as such,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the registration would assist in resolving identity and security issues bedevilled the country.

He, however, said that NIMC is faced with challenges of power and internet services supply in enrolling people in rural communities where electricity and network are still issues.

“For example, in some locations in Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina states, rural communities don’t have broadband to send data.

“What people do there is that, when they capture the data they have to come back to Sokoto the capital to now upload the data, they are given 72 hours or three days to do that because of privacy or data protection.

“After three days, the data will be wiped away automatically because you are not supposed to keep it for a longer time, so the enrolment software controls it,” he said.

He said that the commission has over 200 locations across the 36 states of the federation including the FCT where there are pockets of internet networks access.

“But, power is also a major problem, we either use a generator or solar power system in places where we have a power problem,” he said.